585 Tasting Notes

This was a nice cup of tea, but was very heavy on the coconut flavor. I like coconut in tea, but this was a little too strong. There was a pleasant creaminess in the background, but I couldn’t enjoy it because I was distracted by all of that coconut! I would say that this does taste like a piña colada— perhaps it’s not my kind of flavor!

I have been having the worst craving for pears today. They’re not necessarily the fresh ones either, but ones that are soaked in syrup.. Mmm. This tea is interesting! I do notice a soft pear flavor. It’s light and delicate. There is also a tiny bit of vanilla sweetness, but that’s towards the end of the sip. The strange thing is that there is an overwhelming tart flavor that makes this taste a bit like hot sour cream or cottage cheese & fruit. It sounds disgusting, but it’s truly what I taste. If the vanilla and pear could be more pronounced without that tart flavor, this tea would be lovely!

This tea smelled so very delicious when I opened the bag! Fruity and flavorful! I have to say that I was very much let down by this blend. After enjoying so many delicious teas from DavidsTea, I thought it would really pack a bunch of flavor. This was quite mellow – a little bit bitter, fruity (couldn’t really distinguish mango from a general ‘fruit note’), but nothing all that impressive. It’s one of those teas you drink and then forget that you’ve had a cup. It doesn’t linger in the mouth or mind.

I usually don’t drink bagged tea often, unless there is a flavor I simply adore. I won’t turn down a cup of tea if it comes in a bag, I just prefer loose. :) I found this hidden away in my tea collection and decided it was the perfect time to drink it! The scent of this tea wasn’t the most appealing, but the flavor was much better than the scent had me believe. The tea base is smooth, light and sweet. I don’t think there is much of a difference between this Earl Grey and others I’ve had.. it’s not the best, but it’s also not the worst. I prefer Creme Earl Grey teas over regular ones, but I enjoyed this cup this afternoon.

First Steep: I am really loving the overwhelming sweetness. It’s floral, but does have a marshmallow-like quality. There is something fluffy, plush and soft about the flavor. I think this is the sweetest oolong I’ve tasted so far. Really delicious!

Second Steep: More floral and less of that marshmallow sweetness. Yes, it’s still tasty and sweet, but the flavor is dancing much more around flowers than anything else.

I would continue, but it’s time for food! I will update later with my thoughts on future infusions of this tea. For now, I am very happy with this tea and would honestly drink cup after cup of that first steep.

This tea is so strange! It’s almost a little too strange.. to the point where I want to stop drinking, but can’t. It’s very difficult to describe. There is a definitely hearty sensation that I’m getting, but the floral component adds a delicate touch. The taste is a bit like savory millet mixed with stinky jasmine flowers and a honeysuckle finish. The end of the sip is sweet, but only just enough to leave your mouth intrigued. I’m glad that I got to try this tea and it’s likely the most unique blend I’ve had so far! Thank you to Amy Oh for a sample!

I have enjoyed what little tea I have tried from Canton Tea Co, so I was so excited to try this tea when Melanie included this in a swap. Thank you! I detect primarily floral notes. It’s a tiny bit astringent, but I think that helps to bring out the faint tart & fruit flavors. What I like most about this tea is the sweet finish. It takes a few seconds for it to develop on your tongue, but it definitely lingers and calls you back for another sip. This is a very solid and enjoyable oolong.

Oh, my stomach is killing me tonight. Too much of a yummy dinner! I turn to this tea because it’s gentle and has ginger and lemon. I must say that if I didn’t “need” this tea that it wouldn’t be my first choice. It’s a bit plain with not a lot of lemon flavor. I’m not the biggest fan of ginger, but find myself drinking it to help my stomach. There is something about that sweet ginger flavor that I don’t like. There is also a strange stale note in this tea — it doesn’t seem to be the freshest tea I’ve had. Off to rest my upset tummy.. oye.

My last cup of this and I am all out! I would be rushing over to purchase more, but their shipping is so darn expensive. I will probably end up caving and buying more anyway because I will miss this tea dearly. Tonight’s cup wasn’t as good as the others, but I honestly used what very little remained in the bag.

I am finishing up my two main projects for the end of the semester. My nerves are going a bit crazy thinking about my 15 minute presentation tomorrow. I had a cup of this tea tonight because I just needed something tasty, smooth and settling. So far, this is the best cup I’ve made of this tea! It’s smooth, rich, buttery, peachy and quite sweet! I really love this tea and will definitely be getting more when I finish the scant leaves I have left! So good, so delightful & so very comforting.

My Rather Picky Ratings90+ – Reserved for the very best! Always in the cupboard!80-89 – Quite good! A very pleasing cup.70-79 – Room for improvement, but not bad. 60-69 – Mediocre.50-59 – Bad. Will not purchase. 49 & below – Depending on the more specific rating: Undrinkable. Yuck. Will not purchase.

Note: Teas in my cupboard are all of the teas that I’ve logged, regardless of their current presence in my actual cupboard. For an updated list on what teas I have available for swap, check out the swap thread and not my cupboard! Thanks!